Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB10/07/003

Address :
Presbyterian Church, 149 Melmount Road Sion Mills, Co Tyrone BT82 9EX

Townland:
Liggartown

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Survey 2:
B1

Date of Listing:
17/01/1979 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Church

Former Use
Church

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
No

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
72-16

IG Ref:
H3396 9321

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Owner Category

Church - Presbyterian

Exterior Description And Setting

A double-height Gothic Revival Presbyterian Church, dated 1866, and located on the west side of Melmount Road, in the Sion Mills Conservation Area. The church has a rectangular nave and three-stage steeple to east, and has a double-height church hall (dated 1905) attached to south; there is a single-storey porch to west (west side of hall and porch are also abutted by lean-to additions. Roof is pitched natural slate with angled clay ridge tiles, stone verges on cavetto moulded kneelers and a filigree Cross finial raised on a tapered plinth to apex; quatrefoil chimneystack to south gable; ogee cast-iron rainwater goods on corbel blocks. Walling is random coursed rubble blackstone with cement pointing over a slightly battered plinth; diagonal buttresses with offsets are located to main body of church and steeple. Windows are margin-paned cast-iron diamond lattice lancets with chamfered blocked stone surrounds and sills (unless otherwise stated). East gable faces the road and has a single Decorated tracery window, detailed as others. South elevation is abutted by steeple to right of centre, and has one window to right, three to left. The tower is detailed as church with steep yellow brick spire; it is square on plan rising to an octagonal cement rendered third stage over offset spurs. First stage has (to south), a double-leaf pointed-arched headed timber sheeted door with strap hinges set in chamfered reveal with hood mould and rubble stone voussoirs; window to east; second stage has a central trefoil opening to each face; third stage has a louvred lancet to alternate faces with small aperture to remaining elevations. West gable is completely abutted by hall (see later). North elevation consists of four windows with north porch at right end. Porch has a hipped roof and square-headed timber sheeted door in stop-end chamfered stone reveal to east; north elevation is abutted by later cement rendered lean-to (in poor repair and of little interest); south elevation is abutted by hall. Hall is rectangular on plan, projecting beyond the church by a single bay to south-west. Roof and walling is detailed as church (without buttresses). Windows are paired pointed-arch headed with coloured diamond lattice glazing. Entrance to east consists of pointed-arch headed double-leaf door in projecting surround with stone lean-to roof. Five pairs of windows to west; single window to south gable; north gable abutted by later lean-to (as before); small louvred openings to gable apexes. The church occupies a compact roadside site enclosed by rubble stone boundary walls with soldier coping; accessed from road at east by a pair of cast-iron gates on square piers. Grassed areas with mature trees to east, tarmac perimeter paths and hardstandings. The former Sion Mills Primary School (HB10/07/007, now in use as a church hall) is located immediately to north, and is accessed from the church grounds via an opening in the boundary wall. A pedestrian gate leads to Church Square at west. Roof: Pitched natural slate Walling: Random course rubble blackstone Windows: Margin-paned cast-iron diamond lattice. RWG: Ogee cast-iron Faceted spire is constructed of brick

Architects

Ferguson, John Guy

Historical Information

The church is dated 1866 and was built to designs of John Ferguson. A Sunday School extension is dated 1905. An extension which would appear to date from c.1960 has been added to the minister’s room and contains a kitchen. The church first appears on the third edition OS map (1905) captioned Presb. Church. It is first written into Annual Revision records in 1867 and valued at £45.10s. The Annual Revisions Town Plans of Sion Mills show that the church has undergone some changes in plan between 1898 and 1908, accounted for by the addition of the hall. However, the changes are not reflected in an increased valuation, at this stage. The Dublin Builder of 15th October 1865 carries a description of the church as it is intended to look, “New Presbyterian Church at Sion Mills, just commenced; style Early English. The building measures 65ft in length by 33ft 6in in width. The roof and benches will be open, the woodwork stained and varnished. There will be a wheel window in the west gable, with pierced trefoil lights, lancets on the flanks, and a handsome traceried window in the east front. The sashes will be filled with cathedral glass. A well-proportioned tower and spire starts near to the south-east angle, and the minister’s room abuts on the north flank. The walling will be of rubble, with dressings &c. from the Dungannon quarries. Ornamental painted, and gilt finials to gables and apex of spire. Mr James Gallagher, Derry, contractor…from designs by, and under the superintendence of, Mr John G Ferguson, Derry” (p.249). The gilded finish to the finials does not appear to have been implemented and the west window has been subsumed into the Sunday School extension. Valuers’ notes dated 1934 give a plan and dimensions for the church indicating that the extension to the west is a Sunday School room. The church is said to seat about 250 and the valuation is revised from £45.10s to £90. The church was the first to be built in Sion Mills village and reflects the Presbyterian faith of the Herdman family, founders of the mill and village. From 1835 when the mill was founded there was no church in the village and worship took place in a converted building. According to the village website, James Herdman used to beat a drum to call the people to church. The building of the church no doubt proceeded from the increasing success of the developing mill and village. References: Primary Sources 1. PRONI OS/6/6/10/1 -First Edition OS Map (1832-33) 2. PRONI OS/6/6/10/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1855) 3. PRONI OS/6/6/10/3 -Third Edition OS Map (1905) 4. PRONI OS/6/6/10/4 -Fourth Edition OS Map (1951) 5. PRONI VAL/12/E/182/1 -Town plan of Sion Mills (1866-1898) 6. PRONI VAL/12/E/182/2/1 -Town plan of Sion Mills (1898-1908) 7. PRONI VAL/12/E/182/2 -Town plan of Sion Mills (1908-c.1935) 8. PRONI VAL/12/B/42/1A-F -Valuation Revisions (1860-1923) 9. The Dublin Builder Vol 7, 15 October 1865, p.249 10. PRONI VAL/3/D/7/10/BB/2 – Valuers RV Binders (1933-57) Secondary Sources 1. www.sionmills.org

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form I. Quality and survival of Interior J. Setting

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance V. Authorship

Evaluation

Sion Mills Presbyterian Church is a modestly scaled Gothic Revival church located to the north side of Sion Mills Conservation Area and designed by the accomplished local architect John Ferguson. The church retains many original features, including Victorian diamond lattice lancets, and has ornamentation typical of the style and period, although unusual for a Presbyterian church. The church has long associations with the village, reflecting the Presbyterian origins of its founders and maintaining a relationship with the adjacent former schoolhouse, now in use as church halls.

General Comments

Date of Survey

05 March 2009